• Kyle J Gunnerson.
• The Virginia Commonwealth University Reanimation Engineering and Shock Center (VCURES) Laboratory, Department of Anesthesiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA. kgunnerson@vcu.edu
• Crit Care. 2005 Oct 5; 9 (5): 508516508-16.

AbstractAcid-base abnormalities are common in critically ill patients. Our ability to describe acid-base disorders must be precise. Small differences in corrections for anion gap, different types of analytical processes, and the basic approach used to diagnose acid-base aberrations can lead to markedly different interpretations and treatment strategies for the same disorder. By applying a quantitive acid-base approach, clinicians are able to account for small changes in ion distribution that may have gone unrecognized with traditional techniques of acid-base analysis. Outcome prediction based on the quantitative approach remains controversial. This is in part due to use of various technologies to measure acid-base variables, administration of fluid or medication that can alter acid-base results, and lack of standardized nomenclature. Without controlling for these factors it is difficult to appreciate the full effect that acid-base disorders have on patient outcomes, ultimately making results of outcome studies hard to compare.

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